Tiltable garbage container and elevated support for same



Dec. 23, 1952 J, HlLFERTY 2,622,832

TILTABLE GARBAGE CONTAINER AND ELEVATED SUPPORT FOR SAME Filed Oct. 17, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Dec. 23, 1952 D. J. HILFERTY 2,522,332

TILTABLE GARBAGE CONTAINER AND ELEVATED SUPPORT FOR SAME Filed Oct. 17, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TILTABLE GARBAGE CONTAINER AND ELEVATED SUPPORT FOR SAME Daniel J Hilferty, Swarthmore, Pa. Application October 17, 1947, Serial No. 780,319

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to garbage or refuse containers and more particularly to an elevated structure for supporting such a container which is adapted to be emptied by tilting the container in the supporting structure.

I have found that the scattering of garbage from the conventional garbage cans by dogs and cats results in unsanitary health conditions. I propose to remedy this situation by providing an elevated supporting structure on which :the garbage container is semi-permanently mounted, being detachable only for cleaning purposes. The lid is permanently attached to the supporting structure and may be conveniently raised or lowered to permit access to .the garbage container.

An important advantage of my construction resides in the fact that dogs and cats cannot obtain access to the garbage and scatter it about to attract rats and mice. In addition, garbage collecting is greatly facilitated since the collector merely places his bucket under the elevated garbage container without the necessity of having to lift it at all. This is a distinct advantage in winter when conventionally placed garbage cans often become buried in the snow or frozen to the ground.

A primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a structure for pivotally supporting a garbage container in an elevated position and in which the can is readily accessible for filling and emptying.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lid construction for elevated pivoting garbage cans which insures positive covering of the can by the lid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pivoting mount for a garbage can which permits the cans to be removed for cleaning, but at the same time, prevents unauthorized or accidental disengagement of the can.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective of a garbage pail supporting structure constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the structure of Fig. 1 showing the pail in til-ted position and also showing a modified form of base for the support;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of the garbage pail trunnion;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of a modified form of supporting member and trunnion construction;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the pillow block for the garbage pail lid;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of pivoting garbage can adapted for installation in a wall or fence;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the structure of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of the trunnion used on the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the trunnion structure of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional top view of the structure of Fig. 9.

One form of the invention comprises an inexpensive adjustable supporting structure having a pair of lower supports and a pair of upper supports secured to the lower supports and a garbage pail pivotally mounted in the upper supports by means of a removable bushing retained in the supports with collars. A lid adapted tocooperate with the garbage pail is pivot-ally mounted on an offset shaft also journaled in the upper supports and having a crank whereby the lid may be raised and lowered with respect to the pail simply by turning the crank.

The invention also includes a modified form of garbage container which is mounted on trunnions in a pair of horizontally telescoping members. In a retracted position, the front wall of this container is flush with the outside of a wall or fence and is accessible from the inside of the fence by means of a hinged lid secured to the fence. The trunnion constructionof the modified form likewise includes a removable bushing retained in place by means of a collar and set screw.

In both forms of the invention, the can is laterally removable from the supporting structure after the bushings are withdrawn. For this purpose, eye slots are employed which permit lateral removal of the shafts after the bushings have been removed axially.

Referring now more particularly to Fig; l, a conventional garbage pail iii of cylindrical or frusto-conical shape having a handle I6 is provided with a pair of horizontal shafts l1 secured to plates l8 which are in turn diametrically attached to the sides of pail 15 at a point somewhat above its center of gravity. Each trunnion assembly is identical and comprises a shaft I'l mounted in a bushing I9 horizontally secured in upper supports 20, 20 by means of flange M on bushing I9. Collar 22 is adapted to be rigidly retained on bushing l9 by means of screw 23 (Fig. 3) and the position of collar 22 prevents axial movement of bushing IS in supports 29, 20 whereas a second collar 24 positioned on shaft I! by means of set screw 25 prevents axial movement of the shaft in the bushings.

When it is desired to remove the pail for cleaning, bushings l9 are withdrawn, collars 24 loosened and moved axially inward on shafts IT, which permits moving the pail sidewise sufficiently to permit the end of one shaft I! to clear its supporting structure 20. However, Fig. 4 illustrates an eye slot construction in members 20 in which the width of slot is sufficient to permit withdrawal of shafts l1 laterally but is less than the outside diameter of bushings I9.

It will be apparent that each shaft l'lmay be attached directly to pail I5 or it may be welded to plate .l8 which in turn is welded to the pail as shown in Fig..3. Upper supports 20, extend above the trunnions and serve asjournals for crank member 26 which has an offset portion 21 on which the lid 28 of the garbage can is pivotally mounted. Lid 28 has a conventional handle 29 which is readily adapted to form a pillow block to journal offset 21. A pair of wooden spacer blocks 30, 30 cut to fit the inside contour of handle 29 are drilled and cut at 3| to receive offset 21. In assembly, the crank 26 is inserted through handle 29 whereupon the spacer blocks .30, 30 may be inserted in handle 29 and secured in place by means of nails or screws 32;

The lower supporting structure comprises a pair of channelmembers 35, 35 to which lateral isiintended that the structure is to be portable,

.a foot member 43 is secured tothe'bottom of channels 35 and isbraced by means of straps fil, 4|. Where, however, a permanent installa- ;tion is required, the channels 35 may be sunk in the ground or concrete, as the case may 'be, as shown in Fig. 2. In the latter form of support,

thebraces 36 may be eliminated.

In operation, lid 28, is readily raised from the (pa i115 by turning crank handle 26 180 as shown 11; Fig. 2;; Slight pivoting'of the lid in blocks 39 1 provides ample clearance between the lid and the rirn of; the can for-filling. To empty the can it is simply tilted on the trunnions by means of handle I B as shown in Fig. 2. Since the location of the trunnions on the pail is above the center of gravity, the pail automatically levels itself to the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereupon the lid 28 also automatically drops to cover the pail merely by slightly turning crank handle 26 from the dead center position of Fig. 2.

In urban communities where homes have backyard fences, usually facing upon an alley along 'which the garbage collector makes his collections, a modified form of construction may be advantageously employed.

Referrin now to Figs. 6-9, the fence is cut out at 5| at a height sufficient to permit the collector to place his pail in a position to receive the contents of the tilted garbage can. A pair of upright channel members 52, 52 have at their .upperextremities a pair of brackets 53, 53 which lsupport horizontal telescoping members 54, 54.

4 Each member 54 is constructed of an outer sleeve 55 immovably attached to brackets 53. A slidin sleeve 56 is contained in sleeve 55 and in turn carries the inner shaft or tube 51'. The inside ends of shaft 51 are connected laterally by means of spacer bar 58 and the outer ends of tube 51 carry trunnion plugs 59 secured to the tube by means of rivets 60. A washer 6| extends radially around the inner shoulder of plugs 59 and acts as a limit stop for telescoping motion in tube 51 and sleeve 55. If desired, washer 60 may be formed as an integral shoulder on plug 59 and the telescopic members may be of metal or synthetic plastic and may have round, square or rectangular cross sections.

The trunnion assembly is formed from a bifurcated extension on plug 59 having a forward opening 62 of sufficient width to permit removal of shaft 63. A bushing 64 is carried in the bifurcated portion of plug 59 and is retained therein by means of an integral shoulder on the bushing and a collar 66 secured to the bushing by means of set screws 61. When it is desired to remove the garbage container l5, it is merely necessary to loosen set screw 61, whereupon bushing 65 may be withdrawn axially from the plug, thus permitting shaft 63 to be removed forwardly therefrom.

Garbage container I5 is of generally square configuration and may have rounded corners 68, if desired. The shafts 63 are attached by welding or bolting to plate l8 as shown in Fig. '7 which in turn may be welded on opposite sides of can l5 preferably above its center of gravity. Additional support for the container is provided by means of a bracket 69 on which the can rests when in retracted position. A lid 28' is'liinged to the upper wall 50 by means of hinge 19 and is provided with a limit chain or strap H asshown in Figs. 5 and 6. In the case of a wall having considerable thickness, such as a brick or masonry wall, channel members 52, 52 and brackets 69 may be dispensed with, in which event lid 28 would be correspondingly shorter.

In operation, the householder fills the'ga'rbage pail l5 by raising lid 28 from inside the fence. When the pail is filled, the garbage collector merely grasps the handles 12 from the outside of the fence, slides the entire container forward. as shown in Fig. 6, pivots the pail on the trunnions to empty the contents into the transfer pail, whereupon the can I5 is tilted to its upright position and pushed back into place.

I have, therefore, provided a garbage can's'tructure which is extremely inexpensive to manufacture and durable in construction and which 'prevents animals from obtaining access to'the garbage. Furthermore, the garbage pail is readily accessible both for filling and emptying when there is snow and ice on the ground.

I claim:

1. A horizontally-movable and tiltable garbage can assembly comprising a garbage receptacle, a pair of alined shafts attached to diametrically opposite sides of said receptacle; a pair of spaced, substantially parallel upright supports, one positioned on each side of said receptacle; a horizontally-disposed supporting sleeve secured to each of said supports; means telescopically engaged within each of said sleeves and slidable horizontally therethrough, said means each including a rod-like member; and a bearing between each of corresponding ends of the'rod-like members and one of the shafts at each side of said receptacle whereby said receptacle'is tiltable about said bearings, the slidable engagement between said supporting sleeves and said rod-like members permitting horizontal movement of said receptacle to extended and retracted positions with respect to said supports.

2. A horizontally-movable and tiltable garbage can assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the end of each rod-like member opposite the end at which said bearing is located is provided with stop means which engage an end of the sleeve in which said rod-like member is slidably mounted to limit relative horizontal movement of said rodlike members when they are moved to extended position with respect to said supports.

3. A horizontally-movable and tiltable garbage can assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said stop means comprises a laterally disposed spacer bar which connects the ends of said rod-like members opposite the ends at which said bearings are located and which bar engages the sleeves in which said rod-like members are slidably mounted to limit relative horizontal movement of said rod-like members when they are moved to extended position with respect to said supports.

4. A horizontally-movable and tiltable garbage can assembly as defined in claim 1, including stop means engageable by the receptacle when said receptacle is moved to a retracted position with respect to said supports for preventing pivotal movement of said receptacle about said bearings when said receptacle is in said retracted position.

DANIEL J. HILFERTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

